The Carnitine Defense: An All-Natural Nutraceutical Formula to Prevent Heart Disease, Control Diabetes and Help You Stay Healthy

DeFelice, founder of the Foundation for Innovation in Medicine, which promotes research on natural dietary supplements, argues that diet alone provides insufficient amounts of carnitine, a ""protein-like substance"" produced in the liver that regulates oxygen flow to the heart. He claims that a certain combination of nutraceuticals, which he calls his Cardiac Elixir, combats the many factors that cause heart disease. The primary ingredient is carnitine, the others vitamins E, B6, B12, folic acid and magnesium. Separate chapters devoted to each supplement explain their value, describe the supporting research and recommend who should take them, where to buy them and how much to take. DeFelice's statement that, in moderation, all alcohol--beer, wine or liquor--is good for cardiac health will undoubtedly raise some eyebrows, as will his argument that fat and cholesterol have been oversold as cardiac villains. Acknowledging that the final word on nutraceuticals is not yet in, DeFelice discusses the evidence for and against other dietary supplements, such as fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, beta-carotene and coenzyme Q10, that may be included in future versions of the Cardiac Elixir. (Nov.)